VOICE of the Valley

08/08/2024

The U.S. team featured two locals, Audrey Kwon from Bellevue and Keana Hunter from Issaquah.

08/08/2024

08/08/2024

⚠️ Attention Drivers ⚠️

The City’s contractor will start construction of the State Route 516 Pedestrian Crossing Enhancement Project on SR 516 east of 228th Ave SE on Thursday, August 8.

This project includes the installation of a crosswalk on SR 516 at approximately 800 ft east of 228th Ave SE with rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs), street lights, ADA curb ramps, signage and channelization improvements.

Traffic on SR 516 will be restricted to alternating one-way traffic starting from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please expect traffic delays during construction. Major construction will last until mid-September.

More information will be provided as needed. If you have questions, contact Steven Chen at [email protected]

07/08/2024

07/08/2024

07/08/2024

📚 Fall Rec Guide Available!

The printed version of the Fall 2024 Recreation Guide has arrived and is now ready for pickup! 🎉

Swing by Lake Wilderness Lodge or City Hall to grab your copy and start planning an amazing fall filled with fun activities and programs for all ages.

Whether you're interested in our new Home-School Adventures, Future-Bot Builders, or just looking for some fitness classes, we've got you covered!

📅 Resident Registration: Tuesday, August 13
📅 Non-Resident Registration: Friday, August 16

For more details, check out our online guide at www.maplevalleywa.gov/fun

07/08/2024

Join us for the 6th Annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors Charity Golf Tournament!

📅Friday, September 27th
⏰11:00AM Shotgun Start
📍Lake Wilderness Golf Course
🎟$150 per golfer before August 23, $175 per golfer after August 23 (Tickets are purchased in teams of four)
➡️Purchase tickets at https://bit.ly/maplevalleycharitygolf

All proceeds go to helping us fight hunger and feed hope in our community! Sign up TODAY!

07/08/2024

This Saturday, August 10th at Maple Valley Community Center, Cedar River Boat Racers - Celebrate Them Event 1:00pm-3:00pm. Come join us.

07/08/2024

Order your commemorative merchandise today!

After MANY years of not having merch we are pleased to share that it's baaaaack!

Here's how it will work: we will have a LIMITED number of hoodies and YOUTH t-shirts in limited sizes at our Information Booth during the weekend Sunday and Monday.

SO - if you want to ensure you and your family get your Black Diamond Labor Days swag - it will be best to order it online. When you do, you will have the option to pay for shipping and have it sent direct to your door from our printer (great for people who love Black Diamond but are not local) or you can decline shipping and pick it up in person at the Labor Days Booth on Sunday, September 1 or Monday, September 2 between 10am-4pm.

Here are your online purchase options:

🧵Black Diamond Adventure Awaits Black Hoodie - custom designed logo is printed ONLY on the back beneath the hood, with 1882 down the right sleeve (1882 the year when Black Diamond began claimed its destiny as a coal mining community). These hoodies are 50/50 cotton poly blend.

🧵Black Diamond Ol' Fashioned Family Fun Blue Hoodie - this hoodie bears the name of the 2024 theme - though does not have the date. Printing is on the upper left pocket area only. These hoodies are 50/50 cotton poly blend.

🧵Black Diamond Ol' Fashioned Family Fun Blue Shirt (Youth and Adult) - this shirt bears the name of the 2024 theme across the front of the shirt only. These shirts are 50/50 cotton poly blend.

**Important note** There will be NO adult shirts for sale during the festival weekend, so if you want and adult shirt you will need to purchase it online. (Youth shirts will be available at the festival in LIMITED quantities.)

Online orders are available until 8/20 and proceeds from the sale of merchandise go to the Gomer Evans Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Order yours today! https://bdlabordays.square.site/s/shop

Thanks to our friends at Moxie Screen Printing in Buckley for being our source for printing apparel!

07/08/2024

If you’re not here, you’re missing out. (Put it on your calendar and come next week). Free concerts in the Arboretum every Tuesday, 6p-7p.

07/08/2024

August 10th is Agent Orange Awareness Day. This marks the anniversary of Agent Orange being sprayed in Vietnam for the first time.
Sponsor an Agent Orange candle at: https://www.vvmf.org/Agent-Orange-Awareness-Day/?landing-section=3

Leading up to Agent Orange Awareness Day, we share the story of Walter Scott Luce who passed away on July 27, 1987, due to Agent Orange exposure. His brother, Kirk, left a prosthetic leg at The Wall in Washington, D.C. with a plea. https://vvmf.wordpress.com/?s=agent+orange

07/08/2024

07/08/2024

Join us for our 2024 Gala and Auction at Druids Glen on August 24th! Tickets are $100 and include appetizers, dinner, 1 drink ticket and a night of fun with Tahoma football families, coaches, alumni and community members. We have some amazing auction items including trips, Seahawk and Mariners memorability, whisky tasting, and more! Tickets can be purchased here:
https://forms.gle/vnmP9Nxo8guaXv6u9 If you have a part of 8 and want to learn more about our VIP table please DM us!

07/08/2024

A welcoming facility, relevant programs, and a great staff provide quality human services.

06/08/2024

06/08/2024

06/08/2024

A Seattle pedestrian is dead after she was hit by two vehicles on I5 early Sunday morning. Now, troopers are looking for the driver who fled.

06/08/2024

Online event - Sea Critter Story Time
Friday, August 9, 2024, 11:00AM – 12:00PM

Listen to stories, sing songs and then join the MaST Center of Highline College to learn about local sea creatures.

Please register. One registration per family. https://1.kcls.org/3W0Ou9H

06/08/2024

Join us for Park Pop-Up #8 tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 6 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. We will be playing fun yard games with lemonade (while supplies last) at Covington Community Park! Just look for Karma’s Mystery Machine (the Covington Parks and Recreation Van) for the fun!

Join us each week throughout the summer at our new Park Pop-Ups featuring free fun like art, lawn games, sports, water play and more. We will post the time/day/location on social media, so be sure to follow us and keep an eye out!

06/08/2024

06/08/2024

06/08/2024

EARLY MORNING DUI ARREST WITH A 3 YEAR OLD CHILD IN CAR

This morning at about 2:40 a.m. Kent Patrol Officer De Var was at the intersection of KDM and W Meeker, sitting behind a tow truck that was removing a vehicle from the road. Both the tow truck and Police car were fully lit up with emergency lights, and there was plenty of time and room to move to safely to the right around the truck, which is required by law. Despite this, an oncoming Mustang came perilously close to hitting the tow truck and driver.

Officer De Var quickly pulled the vehicle over to check on the driver. The first indication besides almost causing an accident that the driver, a 30 year old Pacific resident, was DUI was when she left the car in drive and it lurched forward as she grabbed for her documents. She attempted to perform some field sobriety tests, but failed them badly. She smelled heavily of intoxicants and was not even remotely able to follow instructions. She had no driver's license and no insurance.

All this is bad enough, but in the back seat was a 3 year old child who was not strapped into a car seat.

Officer De Var placed her into custody and booked her for DUI and Reckless Endangerment DV for having her unbelted child in the car while driving drunk. She was also cited for driving without a license, without insurance and failure to yield to the tow truck.

We are very thankful that the driver did not strike the tow driver, and that Officer De Var was able to pull over the car before a tragedy happened. This could have gone very differently. Please stop drinking and driving.

If you ever find yourself intoxicated and driving, you need to ask for help. Call the crisis line 988 to speak to someone about resources.



*The child is safe and uninjured. Child was returned to a family member.

06/08/2024

Meet the 2024 Black Diamond Labor Days Parade Grand Marshall - Jen Mueller!

Many of you will recognize Jen from her works as a sports broadcaster and journalist covering The Seattle Mariners and The Seattle Seahawks. Others of you will recognize her from her talk earlier this year at the Maple Valley - Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce and some of you might have even seen her walking in the Maple Valley Days Parade earlier this year.

However you know Jen, or if you've yet to meet her - you will be delighted by her joy filled personality and love of all things community and yes - even parades! Jen will be sticking around to announce our parade winners!

Registration is open for you and your organization to sign up for the parade - don't delay. Decorate your cars, trailers, bicycles and motorcycles or just come with your group and a great song and sing your way down our 1/3 mile parade route.

Starting at Lawson Street and Third Avenue (Hwy 169) we proceed past Baker Street and the judging platform (thank you Wood Products) to Park Street where the parade ends and you can make your way back into the elementary school field for a day of music, food, shopping and games!

Register today at https://www.blackdiamondlabordays.org/parade and feel free to reach out with any questions to [email protected]

06/08/2024

The first issue for August 2024 of the VOICE of the Valley is here! To see the full issue go to www.voiceofthevalley.com

03/08/2024

03/08/2024

🟢 UPDATE: As of Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 8:15 AM, the road & bridge are re-opened, per King County Local Services - Roads, Permitting, Community Service Areas.

🚧 ROAD CLOSURE: Per King County, Washington - Government/ King County Local Services - Roads, Permitting, Community Service Areas, SE Green Valley Rd between SE 354th St and 144th Ave SE (Patton Bridge) will be closed around the clock from 7:00 a.m. on Sun. August 4, 2024, and is expected to reopen on Friday, August 9th, 2024 at 3:30 PM.

Emergency vehicles will not be allowed to pass through the work zone. We are preparing for potential service impacts and will do our utmost to mitigate delays. If you are requesting an emergency response in the Green Valley (Green Valley/Lake Holm Association), there may be significant delays in response time due to the closure.

For more information and potential updates to this project, visit https://gismaps.kingcounty.gov/MyCommute/?basemap=basemapKC&clid=2755.

03/08/2024

1933 news conveys such a simpler time, check out all our old news articles next time you’re in, maybe you’ll find a family name!

03/08/2024

TRAFFIC ADVISORY REMINDER-BRIDGE CLOSURE-PLAN AHEAD

The West Meeker St Bridge will be closed from Monday August 5th, at 9am to September 29th 9am for required bridge repairs. The closure will be both directions and in effect 24/7.

Please plan ahead and follow posted detour signs